Pianissimo device.



Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A. MESSINA.

PIANISSIMO DEVICE.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT.15, 1910. 1,058,994.

2 sums-3mm 2.

INVEMTOR 2/2 7 u l r 4 V I M i v Patented Apr. 15

WITNESSES UNITED STATES P ENT OFFICE.

AUGUST MESSINA, OF WEST NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO MANSFIELD PIANO COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PIANISSIMO DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 15,1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST Museum, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVest New York, in the county'of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pianissimo Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in tone modulating devices for pianos, and has more particular reference to a movable hammer rest rail.

The object of my invention is to produce a device for modulating tones in a piano, by controlling the length of stroke of the several hammers, whereby the'tones may-be easily and completely controlled, so that desirable graduation of tone may be obtained throughout the register; and without producing abrupt changes between adjacent keys or hammers.

Heretofore it has been customary to provide arest rail for the several hammers of the piano action, constructed of two independently movable sections, each of which moved toward or from the 'wires in a plane .always parallel with the plane of the wires;

and each section of the rail was independently controlled by manually operated devices. F or player pianos several devices have been employed for obtaining a gradual increasing and decreasing tone upon the several wires, by controlling the extent of movement of the several hammers, but in such devices it has been customary to construct the rest rail in a'plurality of independently movable sections, and-to provide manuallyoperated means for independently control ling the operation of each section of the rest rail. In this latter construction there were not only many complicated parts in the device, but, owing to the rest rail being formed of a plurality of independently movable sections, it required great skill and practice to obtain, even partially, the desired graduation of tone throughout the different sections of the register. That is to say, where one section of the rail operates upon the hammers of the bass, another upon the hammers of the alto, and another upon the hammers of the treble, it is possible to obtain a graduation of tone throughout the bass, or the alto, or the treble, but it is very difiicult to obtain proper graduation of tone connected a vertical supporting frame 2,

extending across two or more sections of the register.

The object of my invention is to produce a device which will be simple in construc tion and operatiomand with which a proper graduation of tone may be obtained throughout the register.

The description of one embodiment of my invention will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

In the drawings forming a part of this application, Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a player piano shmving only such parts as are necessary to teach the application of my invention, Fig. 2, is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a portion of the action, and of the hammer rest rail, Fig. 3. is aplan view of my improved supplemental rest rail, and Fig. is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a rest'rail, showing the relation of my improved supplemental rail tot-he ordinary hammer rest rail.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the outline of a conventional piano key bed. with. which is on whichis mounted the well known series of bass wires 3. the alto wires 4. and treble wires: The action bracket (3,is fastened at its top to the supporting frame 9. by means of a bolt 7. This bracket. supports. in well known manner, the ordinary hammer rest a longitudinal row,and in line with their corresponding wires. The several hammers are shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2, while dotted lines show different positions which they may assume, as hereinafter described. The above parts, together with the dampers 15 for the wires, constitute part of a well known piano action, which may be part of a manually operated instrument, or a manually and automatically operated instrument.-

Any suitable means may be employed for operating my improved supplemental hammer rest rail, but in the present case I have shown, as one embodiment of my lnvention,

ment, for operating the same.

controlled, pneumatic arrange- F or this purpose I prefer to mount upon the supporting structure 2, at each side of the piano, pneumatic bellows and 16, which are controlled by means of push buttons 17 and 18, arranged within reach of the performer, preferably by being mounted in the front rail 19, on. the key bed 1. The bellows 15 and.16 are controlled, respectively, by the buttons 17 and 18, through the connecting tubes 20. The bellows are connected to a suitable air pumping device in any well a manually known manner.

The hammer restrail 8, which is the ordinary rest rail oi. the piano, is preferably platform 21, upon which my improved supplemental hammer rest rail is supported. My improved rest rail is preferably, though not necessarily, mounted to slide upon the oblique top 21,-of the ordinary rest rail 8. My improved supplemental rail 22, is so constructed and arranged that it may support bass, alto and treble hammers, prefer ably all hammers. of the action; and it is The bellows ,40

' 'erably mounted to slide the rail 22, and secured prevent the hammers constructed so that it may be operated as a single non-flexing unit. This rail 22 is preffreely upon the top 21, of the rail 8, by means of the screws 23,

passing through the elongated slots 24:. in

connection is such as to permit the rail 22, to be moved toward and from the wires; or to be swung obliquely, upon axeswhich may be different during different operations.

The rail 22 has an eye 25, at each end, with which are connected suitable links 26.

15 and 16, have links or connections 27, which are connected wit-h the links 26. These elements form a flexible conne'c- 110D between the operatlng means and the improved supplemental rest raih- The hammer rest rail 22 is so formed on that edge against which the hammers rest, that the gradual tone modifications, hereinafter referred to, may be obtained, For this purpose, the edge of the rail 22 is preferably formed with similar diverging planes 28, toward the ends of the rail. and with an intermediate portion 29, parallel with the plane of the wires. When hammer rest rail 22 is in its extreme rearward position, the portion 29 will lie parallel with the plane of the wires, while the portions 28, will lie in. oblique positions relative to the plane bf the wires. The surfaces 28 and 29are preferably provided'with 'a rail cushion 30, to from making any sound when striking the rail.

'Operationz-When the supplemental. rail 22 is in the retracted or inoperative position, shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 4, the Several hammers wiJl all rest against the I cushion 9, of the ordlnary rest rail 8. If the ward the wires.

in the-rail 8. This,

piano is operated manually, in the usual way, the rail 22 will travel with the rail 8,.

without itself efiecting any change in the positions of the hammers. This is possible because the connections between the rail 22' andits operating means, (the bellows) are flexible. If it is desired to operate the piano automatically or mechanically, the tone modifications are controlled by operating either, or both, of the push buttons 17, 18, which, through the pipes 20, control the release of air in the collapsing of, the bellows 15, 16.' lf'both buttons 17 and 18 are simultaneously pressed, the bellows 15 and 16 will be thereby exhausted of their air, and as they collapse, the rail 22 will be moved to- When both buttons arefully pressed so that both bellows simultaneously collapse, the hammer rest rail 22 will move to a position parallel with the plane of the wires. The portion 29'of the rail 22, will approach the wires, and consequently the extent of movement of the alto hammers will be reduced. This will soften the tone of the alto wires: but there will not be an abrupt difference between the alto. and bass and treble tones. because of the oblique portions 28, of the rail. If the button 17. only, is pressed, then the bellows 15 will collapse and draw one end of the hammer rest rail 22, toward the wires; the rail, at this time pivoting, substantially, from the screw 23', on the right of Fig. 1. This operation of the supplemental rest rail will bring-it to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The surface 28, at the left, will engage the hammers of the bass, and by limiting the extent of their movement, soften the tones of the bass wires. There will be no abrupt diti'erencehowever, between the tones of the bass and alto wires, because the surface 29, will lie obliquev to the plane of the alto wires; and will contact'withat least some of the alto hammers. The portion 29, of the rail 22 will limit the movement of the alto hammer nearest the bass hammers; and will limit the alto hammer adjacent to the last mentioned one, slightly less; and so on. Thus there will be no abrupt difference between the amount of tone of the bass and altowires In similar manner the button 18 alone may be pressed. This will cause the right hand end of the rest rail 22, as viewed in Fig. 1, to move toward the wires. The surface 28, on the right hand side of the rail 22. will then limit the movements of the treble hammers, thereby softening the tones of the treble wires. The surface 29, will now lie oblique tmthe plane of the wires, but

in a reverse position to that described with relation to the operation of but-ton 17. The surface 29, will thus graduate the movements of the alto hammers, decreasing from those nearest the treble hammers. This will prevent an abrupt difference between the able abrupt diiference between the various each notes of the register.

In the present device, the tone modifications are caused by changing the extents of movement of the several hammers; and therefore it is not necessary to change the movements of the action, which may be operated the same as if the rail 22'were not used. This is very desirable, if not absolutely necessary, es ecially so, in the case of planes having uilt in player attacl1- ments, because in these pianos the automatic attachments are usually arranged to operate directly upon the hammers, rather. than upon the keys.

I have shown the surfaces'28 and surface 29, as flat but this form is not imperative. I have also shown the surfaces 28, coextensive with the bass and treble hammers, re speotively; and the surface 29, coextensive with the alto hammers, but these relative proportions may be altered as desired. That is to say, my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement herein shown and described, as changes may be made without departing from the scope of the annexed claims.

.Having described my invention, what I claim 'is: y 1. A piano, embodying wires, hammers arranged to operate upon the wires, a supplemental hammer rest rail for said hammers, having a hammer rest surface substantially parallel with the plane of. said wires, and having diverging rest surfaces on means for operating said h'ammer rest rail and adapted to move the rest rail to position the same parallel with or obliquely of, the plane of said wires.

side of said parallel surface, and

2. A piano, embodying wires, hammers arranged to operate upon the wires, a hammer rest rail, a supplemental-hammer rest rail, adapted to be operated as a unit, supported upon and movable relatively to, said first hammer rest rail, said supplemental hammer rest rail having a hammer rest surface substantially parallel with the plane of said wires and havin rest surfaces diverging from. each end 0? said parallel surface, and means for operating said supplemental hammer rest rail and adapted to move the same to position the same parallel with or obliquely of, the plane of said wires.

3. A piano, embodying bass, alto and treble wires, hammers arranged to operate upon said wires, a hammer rest rail cooperating with said hammers, and having an oblique, top surface, a supplemental hammer rest rail, adapted to be operated as a unit, supported upon said oblique top surface and movable relatively to said first rail, said supplemental hammer rest rail having a hammer rest surface substantially parallel with the plane of said Wires and coextensive with the alto hammers, said supplemental rail having hammer rest surfaces substantially coextensive with the bass and treble hammers, respectively, and directed obliquely relative to the plane of said wires, and in directions relatively reverse substantially to each other, bellows for operating on the opposite ends of said supplemental rest rail, flexible connections between the said bellows and said supplemental rest rail, and manual means for controlling said bellows and adapted to effect the operation of said bellows singly or simultaneously. I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AUGUST MESSINA. Witnesses A. L. BREZFELDER, Ismon VOLLMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of l'atents, Washington, D. C. 

